Distress-signal.



Patented May 27, |902.

T. CATES.

DISTRESS SIGNAL.

(Application led Dec. 28, 1901.)

2 sheeis-Shez 1.

(No Model.)

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woewtoz nar Cb No. 70u53.` Patented May 27, |902. W T. comes.

DISTBESS SIGNAL.

(Application `ilef Dec, 2B. 1901A me Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

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DlSTRESS-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,153, dated May 27, 1902. Application filed December 28,1901. Serial llo. 87,560. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, THoMAs CoATEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Distress-Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to signals or alarms, and has special reference to that type of signals usually termed detonating alarms and designed to give a signal for any purpose or upon certain prescribed contingencies through the medium of an explosive alarm.

To this end the invention contemplates a signal comprising simple and practical means for sounding a distress-alarm for such pur.- poses as the same may be found available. In this connection the invention is of special utility as a bank-alarm to permit the cashier or other oflicial of the bank to quickly and eectively give a distress-signal in the event of being accosted by robbers. Also the invention is necessarily capable of general application to buildings and houses to provide a reliable signal for sounding an alarm in the case of sickness, iire, burglars, or for other reasons.

NVith these and many other objects in viewjV the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The invention in its different applications is necessarily susceptible to considerable modiication from a structural standpoint without departing from the spirit or scope thereof; but a preferred embodiment of the signal and the instrumentalities comprising the same is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a general view or sectional elevation illustrative of one of the useful adaptations of the signal, showing it arranged for convenient use as a bank-alarm. Fig. 2 is a detail View showing simply one of many expedients that might be utilized for holding the explosive alarm in operative relation to the sound-trumpet. Fig. 3 is an enlarged scctional view of the upperor bell portion of the sound-trumpet and the other instrumentalities immediately associated therewith to provide, respectively, for protecting the apparatus from-the weather and for controlling an auxiliary alarm of the continuous type. Fig.

4 is a sectional View on the line 4 4 of Fig.

Like reference-numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

- As already stated, the operative parts of the signal or signal apparatus may be associated together in any convenient or practical Way according to the character of building or house with which the same may be associated; but inasmuch as the essential features of the combination are retained in all adaptations of the invention it has been deemed sufficient for illustrative purposes to showin Fi". l the dfferent parts arranged for effective use as a bank-alarm.

In all uses of the invention there is designed to be employed an explosive alarm of some suitable or approved type. This explosive alarm may consist of a miniature cannon, pistol, or may be of the shotgun type, as illustrated in the drawings. In the latter the said explosive alarm is designated by the numeral l and may be held in operative relation to the other parts of the signal apparatus through the medium efany suitable form of holder er bracket 2. The said-gun or other explosive alarm l is designed to be normally set ready for exploding or iiring its charge, and is necessarily provided with a set-ofi:` device or triga ger 4, to which is connected a trip connection 5, leading to `a convenient location Within a room or building, where it-may be readily grasped and operated.l The trip connection 5 may consist of a cord or other flexible connection, and any desired numberof such connections may run to different` points.l or different rooms, as may be desiredor required.

The explosive'alarm is designedgto explode its charge within the ii'ue portion '6 of a sound-trumpet 7. This sound-trumpet preserves substantially theoutlines and form of a trumpet and consists of the flue 6 and an outlet-bell 8 at one end of the flue and of a flaring or funnel-shaped form- It is desirable that the sound-trumpet and the explosive alarm directly associated therewith ICO 4terior or outside of the building. sound-trumpet 6 and the explosive alarm ,within the lower portion thereof are protected should be located in a position entirely out of the way and preferably in an unoccupied portion of the building-such, for instance, as within the roof-space or garrot 9--as suggested in the illustration of Fig. 1 of the drawings; but Wherever located thev soundtrumpet 6 is in direct communication with the outer` air and has the outlet-bell 8 thereof exposed upon the exterior of the building in order to spread and distribute the sound and products of the explosion. The flue portion 6 of the trumpet directly receives the discharge end of the explosive alarm or gun 1, and therefore not onlythoroughly protects contiguous portions of the building from the products of the explosion, but also conducts such products and the sound itself to the cx- The said from the weather by the employment of a suitable protective bonnet 10, arranged within the vertical plane of the trumpet, but held be conveniently sustained in operative position through the medium of a plurality of supporting-rods 11, arising from the rim of the bell 8 and suitably connected at their upper ends, as at 12, to any suitable point of attachment withinor on the bonnet. However, the preferred construction shown resides in connecting the rods 11 with the crossbraces 13, arranged within and united to the bonnet or shield 10.

In order to render the signal or signal apparatus more eifective as a distinct alarm or signal device, there is preferably associated with the explosive alarm 1an auxiliary continuous alarm 14. This continuous alarm may be of any suitable type which has an escapement action, so that when released the same will ring continuously until run down or stopped. Preferably the continuous alarm 14' is an ordinary clockwork-alarm comprising the usual mechanism for ringing or sounding the bell 15 and including a ratchet or equivalent release-wheel 16, normally engaged by the catch 17, carried by the trip-lever 18. Thistrip-lever as well as the alarm 14 may be mounted within the bonnet or shield 10 in any suitable manner; but the said lever is preferably supported intermediate its ends, as at 19, and is pivotally connected at the end opposite the catch 17 to the upper end of an op-l erating-stem 20, rigidly connected at its lower end to and supporting the auxiliary-alarm actuator 2l. The stem 2O may be conveniently arranged to Work through vthe central guide-opening 22, provided at the intersection of the cross-braces 13, and above the guideopening 22 there may be mounted upon the stem an adjustable supporting-collar 23, held in its adjusted position by means of a setscrew or equivalent device 24. Through the medium of the collar 23 the properplay of the actuator 21 may be provided for.

The auxiliary-alarm actuator 21 is movable in the direction of the axis or longitudinal to be forced in a direction to release the auxiliary alarm 14 by the concussion of the explosion within the trumpet. The said actuator 21 may therefore be properly said to consist of an impactplate arranged over the mouth or bell of the trumpet and is preferably provided with a central spherical swelled portion 25, which assists in the proper deflection of the sound and products of combustion outward between the trumpet and its protective bonnet or shield. The impact-plate or actuator 21 may be provided with a plurality of guiding-posts 26, extending outwardly from the rim portion thereof and Working through suitable guides 27, provided in or on the crossbraces 13.

From the foregoing it is obvious that upon the liring or discharge of the gun or alarm 1 the detonating alarm is carried outward through the trumpet to the outside of the building. At the same time the concussion resulting from the explosion moves the actuator or plate 21 in a direction to release the wheel or other release device of the continuous alarm, so that the latter will sound a continuous alarm, and thus contribute materially to the eectiveness of the signal.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details ofy construction may be made within the scope of the invention with out departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus describedthe invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a signal device of the class described, a trumpet-shaped sound-flue having its outlet-bell disposed exterior to a building, means the flue, and a protective bonnet or shield arranged over and spaced from the exterior bell, said bonnet or shield being of suflicient area to completely cover the bell.

2. In a signal device of the class described, the combination of a sound-trumpet arranged to receive an explosive alarm, and having an exterior bell, a protective bonnet or shield arranged over and spaced from the exterior bell of the trumpet, and an auxiliary alarm housed beneath and within the plane of the protective bonnet or shield and comprising means, disposed Within the plane of the truma plosive alarm.

3. In a device of the class described, a soundn trumpet arranged to receive an explosive alarm and having its bell exposed exterior to a building, a protective bonnet or shield supported over and spaced from the bell of the trumpet, an auxiliary continuous alarm, an impact-plate movably supported in the inter plane of the sound-trumpet 6 and is designed IOO IIO

for holding and operating an alarm Within pet, actuated by the concussion from the ex- -val between the trumpet-bell and the protective bonnet or shield, said impact-plate having guiding means and provided with a swelled portion, and tripping devices actuated by the impact-plate and coperating with said auxiliary alarm.

4. In a device of the class described, a soundtrumpet arranged to receive an explosive alarm, a protective bonnet arranged over and spaced from the bell of the trumpet, braces arranged within the bonnet and having a plurality of guides, an auxiliary alarm mounted Within the bonnet, -an impact-plate movably supported in the interval between the trumpet-bell and the bonnet and provided with 15 members engaging said guides, and an operating-stem connected with the impact-p1ate and having a tripping connection with the auxiliary alarm.

In testimony whereoiil I affix my signature zo in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS COATES.

Witnesses:

ALFRED C. CoATEs, JOHN I. WILLIAMS, Jr. 

